Game of Thrones: See how much the cast has changed since the first season

Brienne of Tarth

Brienne is another one of the characters who remains pretty constant throughout the seven seasons of Game of Thrones, never wavering when it comes to her moral compass. Brienne’s allegiances change somewhat between her first appearance and season 7, but her decisions stay consistent throughout the series.

When we first meet Brienne, she’s joining up with Renly Baratheon’s army. Her loyalties lie with him, and there’s even some suggestion that she’s smitten with Renly. She proves herself worthy of being a member of his Rainbow Guard, but sadly, her position is short-lived. She and Catelyn Stark witness Renly’s murder and are forced to flee before they take the blame for it.

With nowhere else to go, Brienne reluctantly falls into Catelyn’s service. The two women form a bond, despite their differences, and Brienne eventually agrees to return Catelyn’s daughters safely to her. Of course, Catelyn perishes before Brienne can make good on her vow. But true to her character, Brienne sticks to her new path. Her honor drives her to continue searching for the Stark sisters.

Gwendoline Christie.

photo: Helen Sloane/HBO

Brienne eventually finds both Sansa and Arya, though both are reluctant to go with her—they’ve learned the hard way what comes from being too trusting. But Brienne remains vigilant, keeping her oath no matter what it takes. Though she doesn’t do much in the way of returning Arya home safely, she does manage to help Sansa escape Ramsay’s clutches and reunite with Jon.

Through season 7, Brienne acts as protector to Sansa, remaining at Winterfell with Podrick. With Arya’s return, she realizes that her oath to Catelyn has been fulfilled, but it seems likely she’ll continue serving the Stark sisters. And let’s be honest, most of us would like to see more screen time between her and Arya.

Which character do you think has grown the most since season 1?